The system provides movement guidance to an actor using a motion capture movement reference system. The motion capture movement reference system includes a light strip having an elongated substrate with lights positioned in series along a length of the elongated substrate and a computing device configured to program the lights with an illumination protocol. Operationally, a user inputs into the computing device one or more variables to establish a number of lights to simultaneously activate and/or a rate of activating and deactivating the lights along the length of the elongated substrate. The light strip is programmed based upon the one or more variables. When the lights are activated and deactivated along the length of the elongated substrate, an actor chases the lights.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for providing movement guidance to an actor using a motion capture movement reference system, wherein the motion capture movement reference system comprises a light strip having an elongated substrate with a plurality of lights positioned in series along a length of the elongated substrate and a computing device configured to program said plurality of lights with an illumination protocol, the method comprising: determining a plurality of desired movements of a digital avatar; using said computing device, generating a graphical user interface to present to a user options to select values for at least a first parameter and a second parameter, wherein the first parameter is indicative of a speed at which a number of lights of the plurality of lights appear to traverse along the substrate, wherein the second parameter is indicative of whether said speed increases, decreases, or remains constant along the substrate, and wherein the selected values of the first parameter and the second parameters are based on one of the plurality of desired movements of the digital avatar; receiving an input corresponding to a first value for the first parameter and a second value for the second parameter; using said computing device, programming the light strip based upon at least the first value and the second value; instructing an actor to chase the plurality of lights as they traverse along the length of the elongated substrate; and initiating an activation and deactivation of the plurality of lights along the length of the elongated substrate based on at least the first value and the second value.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said motion capture movement reference system comprises a plurality of control modules and a micro-controller, wherein each of said control modules is connected to at least one of said plurality of lights, and wherein said micro-controller is in communication with said plurality of control modules.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said computing device includes a memory, a display, a keyboard and a processor, said computing device being in communication with said micro-controller, wherein said memory stores a plurality of instructions that instructs the processor to communicate control signals to said micro-controller, wherein said control signals enable said plurality of control modules to control said plurality of lights according to the first value and the second value.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first value and the second value define, at least in part, an illumination protocol and wherein the illumination protocol comprises a motion of a pulse from a proximal end to a distal end of said substrate, and wherein said pulse includes three lights switched on and off simultaneously.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said control signals also determine a length of said pulse, and wherein said length includes LED elements in multiples of three.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of said control modules is connected to three lights and wherein said lights are LED elements.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said graphical user interface is configured to present to the user options to select values for a third parameter, wherein the third parameter is indicative of a number of continuous light elements switched on or off simultaneously.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising using at least one video camera to capture a motion of said actor while the actor chases said plurality of lights.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said graphical user interface presents to the user options to select values for a fourth parameter, wherein the fourth parameter is indicative of a duration of time during which the number of continuous light elements are activated.
10. A method of guiding an actor, the method comprising: determining a desired movement of a digital avatar, wherein the desired movement is one of a plurality of customizable movements; positioning an elongated substrate on a floor, said substrate comprising a plurality of LED elements, at least one control module and a micro-controller, wherein said at least one control module is connected to at least one of said plurality of LED elements, and wherein said micro-controller is in communication with said at least one control module; using a computing device, generating a graphical user interface to present to a user options to select values for at least a first parameter and a second parameter of an illumination protocol, wherein the first parameter is indicative of a speed at which a number of LED elements of the plurality of LED elements appear to move along the substrate, and wherein the second parameter is indicative of whether said speed increases, decreases, or remains constant along the substrate; using the computing device, receiving inputs indicative of a first value for the first parameter and a second value for the second parameter; using the computing device, communicating control signals to said micro-controller, wherein said control signals program said at least one control module to control said plurality of LED elements according to the illumination protocol and wherein the illumination protocol is based on the desired movement of the digital avatar; and having said actor synchronously move with said illumination protocol to achieve said desired movement.
11. The method of claim 10 , comprising a plurality of control modules, wherein each of said plurality of control modules is connected to at least three of said plurality of LED elements.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said illumination protocol comprises a motion of a pulse from a proximal end to a distal end of said elongated substrate, and wherein said pulse includes a series of at least two LED elements switched on simultaneously and then switched off simultaneously.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising having the actor chase said moving pulse to move at said desired movement.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said graphical user interface presents to the user options to select a value for a third parameter, wherein the third parameter is indicative of a number of continuous LED elements switched on or off simultaneously.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said graphical user interface presents to the user options to select a value for a fourth parameter, wherein the fourth parameter is indicative of a duration of time during which the continuous LED elements are activated.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein said control signals also determine a length of a pulse, and wherein said length includes LED elements in multiples of three.
17. A system for generating a moving pulse of light to act as a reference for an actor's motion, the system comprising: a flexible substrate strip having a plurality of LED elements; a plurality of control modules; a micro-controller, wherein each of said plurality of control modules is electrically associated with and controls at least two of said plurality of LED elements and wherein said micro-controller is in data communication with said plurality of control modules; a graphical user interface configured to present to a user options to select values for at least a first parameter and a second parameter of an illumination protocol, wherein the first parameter is indicative of a speed at which a number of LED elements of the plurality of LED elements appear to move along the substrate, wherein the second parameter is indicative of whether said speed increases, decreases, or remains constant along the substrate and wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive inputs indicative of a first value for the first parameter and a second value for the second parameter; and a computer system configured to receive the first value and the second value, to generate signals that define the speed at which the number of LED elements of the plurality of LED elements appear to move along the substrate and whether the speed increases, decreases, or remains constant along the substrate, to generate the signals based on the first value and the second value, and to communicate signals to said micro-controller to generate said moving pulse.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to present an option to the user to customize a number of LED elements that simultaneously switch on and off.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of control modules is associated with and controls three LED elements.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
September 5, 2017
October 27, 2020
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